LA CITTA’ DEGLI ANGELI

La Città Degli Angeli [City of Angels] is a short movie realized in 2005 as a result of the collaboration between the Visual Artist Rodolfo Migliari and the composer Alessio Nanni.

‘La Città Degli Angeli’ is directly inspired by the book ‘Tuiavii’s Way’ by Erich Scheurmann, edited on november 1st, 1997.

Tuiavii, a Samoan chief, traveled to Europe at the turn of the 20th century and wrote a commentary condemning the very foundations of Western society. Today, at the dawn of the millenium, his words promise to cast a spell over a new generation of readers. By looking at ourselves through Tuiavii’s eyes we are saddened by the loss of simplicity and humanity in our society. Yet each page, filled with Tuiavii’s insight, brings us a step closer to the truth and, ultimately, to understanding ourselves.

The original book title is actually ‘Der Papalagi’. Palagi (pronounced paalangi – singular) or papaalagi (plural) is a term in Samoan culture of uncertain meaning, but sometimes used to describe foreigners or anything that does not ‘belong’ to Samoan culture.

Papāalagi is a word in the Samoan language describing non-Samoans especially European westerners or Caucasians. In Samoa the term is used to describe ‘foreigners’ or anything that does not ‘belong’ to Samoa or Samoan culture.